What and how to feed the French bulldog?

When purchasing a French bulldog, the new owners are faced with the question of how to feed him. It is important to understand that puppies and adults require different foods. The correct development and health of the pet directly depends on this.

A French bulldog can successfully consume 2 types of dishes - both dry food and natural products prepared by the owner. When buying a puppy from a breeder, It is recommended to immediately find out how he fed the bulldog, and continue his chosen strategy. If you suddenly change the selected type of food, then the dog may experience allergies or even poisoning. Having decided nevertheless to accustom the pet to new products, it remains to be done sequentially. In addition to regular food, the bulldog needs vitamins prescribed by a specialist.

Natural nutrition is not only useful for the dog, but also much more economical for the owner. Step by step, introducing nutritious foods into the puppy’s diet, he will be able to accustom him to such a diet, which he will adhere to the end of his life. Forming a pet’s diet, it should be borne in mind that meat should occupy from 40 to 70% of the total. Thus, about 20 grams of meat is consumed per kilogram of bulldog weight. The dog treats rabbit meat, boiled horse meat and regular beef well.

The meat is usually cut into small pieces. In the case when a pet is offered a bird, it must be cleaned of skin and bones. Sometimes offal, for example, lungs, liver or spleen, can be offered to the French bulldog.Such a meat component can be raw or boiled, but in any case it is necessarily doused with boiling water to avoid problems associated with helminths. It is sometimes not forbidden to feed a dog with fish - always boiled and peeled.

Cereals make up to 35% of the dog’s diet. Porridge can be almost anything - buckwheat, rice, barley or even ordinary oatmeal. Cereals are prepared according to the usual method, and in the end, meat or vegetables are simply added. In a small amount, the use of oils, for example, sunflower, linseed or olive, is not forbidden. A small amount of the product is dripped into the porridge.

Vegetables usually make up 20% of the bulldog's diet, playing the role of a necessary vitamin supplement in the same porridge. The selection of vegetables suitable for French bulldogs is quite extensive. Cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, beets, peppers or cabbage are suitable. Fruit dogs are recommended to be offered only as a reward for team performance or good behavior. Dairy products make up about 30% of the diet. Ordinary milk is not recommended for bulldogs, but kefir, yogurt or yogurt will definitely benefit.

When choosing dairy products, you should avoid those options that contain a large amount of fat, as the stomachs of puppies are usually poorly perceived. Therefore, if you take the same cheese, then be sure to have a low fat content. In addition, do not combine milk and meat in one meal.

Ready food becomes a salvation for busy people. Moreover, a recipe compiled by experts does not make a mistake in determining the volume of the portion offered to the dog. In addition, prepared food is a real salvation for dogs suffering from allergies. The stores present products in this area, suitable for any wallet - from economy to premium. Ready food can be dry, semi-moist and moist in the form of a paste. Choosing one of the varieties is depending on the preferences of the pet.

To begin with, veterinarians categorically do not recommend feeding the dog from their table. The animal should always receive food in one place and at the same time. In addition, there are a number of prohibited products. French bulldogs are not recommended fatty meat, as a rule, in this case we are talking about pork. Avoid tubular bones, which, getting into the respiratory tract, can damage them.

Pets are not allowed smoked meats, pickles, sausages and sausages, as well as raw river fish. Despite requests, the puppy should not be given anything sweet or starchy, especially chocolate. Be careful with exotic fruits and dishes prepared with spices or sauces.

To properly feed a French bulldog at home, you need to understand that this is a small dog and is quite prone to obesity. Food should be balanced, taking into account the lifestyle of the pet. For example, an active dog, regularly traveling with the owner for long walks, will require a lot more calories than a lazy home inhabitant.

The place where the dog will receive food must be settled. The dog must understand that it can always find its bowl in the same place. The eating area should be located away from drafts and not be in the aisle. It is most convenient to buy a special stand on which bowls with water and food will be attached at the puppy's chest level.The containers themselves can be made of various materials, but it is better to take rather heavy and reliable options that the bulldog cannot knock over with a foot or muzzle.

Feed the bulldog to be at the same time every day. Puppies are given small portions, which, of course, increase with age. The amount of food should give the dog the opportunity to eat, but not overeat.

Until the puppy reaches the age of 1-2 months, it is better not to separate him from his mother and let mother's milk feed. If the mother is absent, the breeder can feed the monthly dog ​​a milk replacer. Feeding should be provided about 6 times a day. The first lure begins at the age of 2 months. First, a small amount of meat is introduced into the diet - boiled and cut into small pieces, and after porridge. Feeding small bulldogs with fruits and vegetables is categorically not recommended, since allergies can be provoked.

In the period from 2 to 3 months, the puppy is also allowed low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, eggs and boiled fish. If the meat will be given raw, then it must first be scalded with boiling water. In addition, it is important to cut a piece into smaller fragments or grind it in a meat grinder. At the age of 3 to 4 months, the French bulldog, as a rule, has new owners who should continue the existing diet. Puppies from 4 to 6 months old will need to be given 3-4 times a day, but making portions is much larger. After six months, the dog begins to receive good nutrition.

For castrated and sterilized dogs, experts recommend purchasing a special feed, the composition of which takes into account all the needs of the animal. After sterilization, food is allowed only after the restoration of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. During the first feeding, the bulldog can be offered only liquid food, for example, soup, mousse or paste. If the dog is accustomed to dry food, then it is easy to soak it in water.

About a week later, the pet may return to the usual diet, but the serving size in this case decreases by about 10-20%. However, it is better to transfer the bulldog to a special feed intended just for sterilized dogs. A castrated dog should not be immediately transferred to a new type of food, but after a couple of weeks the diet should be enriched with new ingredients.

Food for a pregnant French bulldog has its own specifics. The first 3 weeks no changes are required, but gradually an increase in the calcium content in the diet is already beginning. In the first month of pregnancy, the amount of calcium should be 70 milligrams per kilogram of dog weight for the full formation of the puppy’s skeleton and the protection of the mother’s teeth. A good solution would be to gradually increase the amount of phosphorus to 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. On the advice of a specialist, it is also worth introducing vitamins A and D into the diet.

In the second month of pregnancy, the serving size increases, and the frequency of feeding is set 3 times a day. However, the amount of carbohydrates, on the contrary, decreases at this time. At the eighth week of pregnancy, the frequency of feeding increases to 4 times a day, but the diet is freed from those foods that can cause digestive problems. Of course, those dishes that provoke allergies are also removed. In the last days of pregnancy, the French bulldog is fed up to 6 times a day in reduced portions, and the meat is replaced with boiled fish. Throughout the term, it is necessary to offer the female more dairy products, but exclude those that lead to obesity. An excellent solution will be the purchase of special feeds intended for pregnant and lactating dogs.

See how to feed the French Bulldog in the next video.